Rail-fastener.



No.,890,116. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

F. G. ALFORD.

RAIL FASTENER.

APPLIGATION FILED' mm2. 19o?.

WHA/5885s.- /n/VE/vron mr: mums Psvsnscn.. wnsnmarqu. u. a

IINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FREDERICK G. ALFORD, OF ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOPI-IILO M.

WILLIAMS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

RAIL-FASTENER.

Naseonic.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908,

Application filed May 22, 1907. Serial No. 375,065.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. ALFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Issaquah, in the county of King and State of Washington,have invented certain new and useful .Improvements in Rail-Fasteners, ofwhich the following is a specification, refer'- ence being had therein.to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the construction of railway tracks; and itsobject is the provision of simple and eflicient means for securing therails upon the cross ties.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement andcombination of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l'is a side elevation of a cross-tie, with the track rails and apair of the clamping devices therefor shown in section; Fig. 2, a plan'view of two ties with the rails attached thereto g Fig. 3, an endelevation of Fig. 1;'and Fig. 4, a perspective view of a rail clampshown detached.

In these drawings, the reference numeral 5 designates the track railsand 6, metallic cross-ties which are desirably of the I-beam type andseated in a concrete bed 7. To furnish a more resilient bearing for therails than would be had if seated directly upon the ties, I providecushioning seats 8 of vulcanized vegetable fibers, or an equivalentresilient substance, between the ties and the rails at their respectivecrossings. The rails are secured in place by clamping members, see Fig.v4, which'are adapted to engage the flanges of the rails and also the top'flanges 6 of the ties. Specifically, these members are severallycomprised of a central web 9 formed with pendent wings 9 extending alongits opposite lateral edges but of less length so that the web will havea protruding nose 9.

Extending inwardly from the wings are studs l() which are in axialalinement withl each other and disposed adjacent to the nose end of themember and likewise so that there will be space enough thereabove toallow the flanges of a tie being freely introduced between the same andthe web 9. In proximity of the end opposite said nose a screwthreadedaperture l1 is provided in the web for the reception of a clamping screw12 and which screw is provided with a lock-nut 131k In practice, notchesare provided in the flanges 6 intermediately of the length of said tiesto accommodate the studs 10 when introducing the clamping membersbetween rails previously set upon the ties.

The mode of operation of the invention is as follows: The rails beingfirst placed in correct alinement upon the ties with the elasticmaterial therebetween, as aforesaid, the clamping members are placedupon the ties with their studs below the tie-flanges and thus broughtagainst the rail so that the noses 9 will overhang the adjacentrailflanges and the ends of the wings contact with the edges of thelatter. The clamping members being thus positioned, they are caused toeffect the clamping of the rails by tilting the members to have theirrespective noses press downwardly upon the rail flanges through theaction of the screws 12, whereupon the screws are secured againstunlocking by the nuts 13. y

By reason of the relative disposition of the nose, fulcrum studs andscrew it is evident that an exceedingly great pressure may be impartedand maintained by the clamping members upon the rail 'flanges and thusreliable means furnished for securing rails to ties. It is furtherevident that the wings of the clamping members by engaging against therail flanges prevent lateral displacement' of the rails. The members arereadily disengaged by first loosening the locking nuts and thenretracting the screws.

The above described invention is not only capable of reliably holdingrails, but may be inexpensively made, and quickly applied an ddisengaged.

Vhat I claim as my invention, is*

l. A clamping device for track rails comprising a central web providedwith wings extending along a portion of its lateral edges, studsextending inwardly from said wings, and a screw extending through saidweb.

2. In combination with a track rail, a

cross-tie having a lateral flange at its top, 1

and a sheet of resilient material between said rail and said tie, of adevice for clamping the rail to the tie, and consisting of a memberadapted to engage the rail flange upon the top and the tie-flanges fromtheir under sides, and means to tilt the member and to cause it toeffect such engagements with the respective fianges.

3. In combination with a track rail and a l cross-tie having lateralflanges, of means for securing said rail to the tie and comprising alook-nut for securing said screw in engaged member provided with a Webhaving at one position.

end a nose adapted to overlie a flange of the In testimony whereof IaHiX my signature rail, studs projecting inwardly from Wings in presenceof tWo Witnesses.

'formed upon said web, a screw passing FREDERICK Gr. ALFORD. through theWeb and impinging against said Witnesses:

cross-tie for tilting the member to cause said PIERRE BARNES,

nose to engage the track rail flange, and a K. A. FORREST.Y

